The International Commission of Jurists (ICJ) is pleased to announce that David Cote, head of the strategic litigation unit at the leading human rights organisation Lawyers for Human Rights, South Africa will observe the bail application in the matter of The State versus Farai Maguwu in the High Court of Zimbabwe from 16-17th June 2010. Mr Farai Maguwu, a respected human rights defender was arrested soon after a confidential meeting held on 25 May 2010 with the Kimberley Process Monitor for Zimbabwe, Mr Abbey Chikane, to discuss human rights abuses and the rampant smuggling of Marange diamonds. The ICJ is gravely concerned at the strong link being made between Farai Maguwu’s meeting with Mr Chikane and the subsequent and ongoing persecution of the respected human rights defender and his immediate family.

The historic meeting at the Kennedy Road settlement on Sunday went well despite the intimidation from the local ANC. The background to this meeting, and its importance, is that in September last year Abahlali baseMjondolo(AbM) and the Kennedy Road Development Committee (KRDC), the openly and freely elected committee in the settlement, were expelled in violent attacks organised through the local ANC and supported by the police and the criminal justice system.

The Labor Council has condemned the May 31st Israeli commando attack on the Gaza Aid Flotilla, which killed at least nine unarmed people and seized and detained some 700 passengers and crew. Many of these labor organizations, as well as the U.N. and Amnesty International, have also called for an independent international investigation of the attack and for a permanent opening of the Gaza border in accordance with international law.

Concerned that plans to move the seat of the High Court from Grahamstown to Bisho will make unemployment even worse, Xolelwa Faku calls on the minister of justice to reconsider the decision.

On World Day Against Child Labour 2010 on Saturday 12th June, leading NGO Plan International is concerned the problem is on the increase in Niger where children are being forced to work because of the food crisis. Children are being pulled out of school and sent to work for money or food to supplement their family's income.

All of the Protea South Five, arrested after the electricity war in Protea South, Soweto, have been released on the grounds that 'there is no evidence against them'. None of the five were harmed while in detention. A sixth person from Protea South (who is not an LPM member) has now been arrested and charged with burning the transformer. There are currently conflicting reports at to whether or not there has been an arrest for the murder of the LPM activist shot by the Homeowners' Association in Protea South.

For lies to continue to hide the truth they must be constantly sustained and maintained. For truth to be able to emerge from under the lies we have to constantly remember what has really been said and done, by whom and for what purpose. We have often said that the attack on our movement in the Kennedy Road settlement on the 26th and 27th of September last year was planned at a very high political level. It was planned outside of the Kennedy Road settlement.

The is a tremendous blow to Pride Toronto. Many of Canada’s internationally recognised LGBTI activists who have received awards from Pride Toronto have returned their awards. Ugandan LGBTI activist Victor Mukasa is among the international award returnees. Bravo Victor for showing African solidarity with Queers Against Israeli Apartheid and the people of Palestine.

Abahlali baseMjondolo of the Western Cape 21 days ago launched its campaign ‘the right to the city campaign’ today the world and South Africans are counting few days before the kick off of the 2010 FiFa World cup, also Abahlali baseMjondolo of the Western Cape is counting few hours before kick starting its campaign.

Part of the aim of the campaign is to build shacks outside Green Point soccer stadium at Cape Town, occupying governmental offices, invading open public spaces within the city and occupying unused hotels, flats and schools within the City.

Tomorrow, the 11th June 2010 is the first day of our campaign, about 100 members of Abahlali baseMjondolo will meet at Cape Town next to Cape Peninsula University of Technology (CPUT) at Keizerngracht Street at 10:00 from there we will proceed to where our protest is going to take place.

Our action in terms of South African gatherings Act is viewed as illegal, as it suggest that we need to notify the police 14 days before such action but according to us our action is genuine and legitimate and we see no reason for us to notify them while we are going to occupy their offices because we refused to be controlled in any way in our actions.

All media agencies are invited to expose the police and governmental arrogance towards the poorest of the poor. We want the world to see how the poor are denied the right to well located land by South African Government and by the City of Toilets or the ‘Shit City’ (The City of Cape Town).

For more information please contact Mr. Qona at 076 875 9533 or Nobantu Goniwe at 078 760 5246

A group of former prisoners of conscience, political exiles and spouses, widows, parents, sons and daughters of former victims of KANU dictatorship under presidents Kenyatta and Moi, have come together to endorse Kenya's proposed new constitution, and speak out against the forces of reaction and sabotage that have so far opposed the process.

A basic income grant (BIG) ‘might not be the best answer’ to solve Namibia’s challenges of ‘structurally rooted inequality and destitution’. But ‘at least it tries to come up with some kind of initiative’ to build a society in which ‘all members obtain the minimum standard of living they deserve’, writes Henning Melber.

A group of civil society organisations are making public a letter sent to the Minister of the Interior of Angola Mr Roberto Leal Monteiro Ngongo to express their concern about the situation of human rights defenders in that country.

On the night of 3rd June 2010, the police went from door to door with an informer in the shacks of Protea South, Soweto. They arrested five members of the Landless People’s Movement (LPM). Three of the people that they arrested are children of Maureen Mnisi, chairperson of the LPM in Gauteng. The other two are her neighbours. Since the current wave of repression began when the LPM was attacked in Protea South by the Homeowner’s Association on 23 May 2010 two people have been killed. One was shot dead by the Homeowner’s Association in Protea South and one was shot dead by the police in eTwatwa. Other people have been beaten, shot, arrested and threatened with having their homes burnt down. Two people have had their homes burnt down in eTwatwa. There are now seven LPM members in jail in Protea South and thee LPM members in jail in eTwatwa.

SADC Lawyers Association condemns the conviction and imprisonment of Steven Monjeza Soko and Tiwonge Chimbalanga Kachepa and welcomes the decision of the President of Malawi to pardon the two individuals.

Following the release of gay couple Tiwonge Chimbalanga and Steven Monjeza, who were initially sentenced to 14 years imprisonment in Malawi, the South African Municipal Workers Union (SAMWU) has issued a statement celebrating the pardon granted by President Bingu wa Mutharika but demanding greater steps towards the eradication of legislated homophobia and the desire to suppress human rights.

On Thursday 27 May 2010, Ellen Chademana and Ignatius Mhambi were released on bail until a trial set for Thursday 10 June 2010, on allegations of possessing indecent material and displaying a placard seen as insulting to Zimbabwe's President Robert Mugabe. GALZ is now calling on organisations to send statements in support of GALZ, highlighting the raid of the GALZ offices, the arrest Ellen Chademana and Ignatius Mhambi, the torture of Ignatius while in custody, the continued harassment of GALZ staff and the police saying that they want to question all staff members.

Mostly South Africans celebrate freedom day. Some they feel free but some do not feel free. Some are told that they are free and get excited because they trust those who tell them that they are free. They still have hope that one day the politicians will recognise them. As hard as it is we all have to face up to the reality that this is a false hope. We have to face up to the need for a second struggle.

On 12 May 2010, Algerian authorities effectively shut down La Maison des Syndicats (2 Rue El Oued, Bach Djarrah, Algiers), the headquarters of an important coalition of independent labor unions fighting for workers rights, including the Syndicat National Autonome des Personnels de l'Administration Publique (SNAPAP). Their website has also been shut down.

SAMWU has become increasingly concerned by the homophobic utterances of several national leaders on the continent over the last few years. Mugabe in Zimbabwe, Museveni in Uganda and a few others have made intolerable comments about the rights of consenting adults to engage in a same sex relationship. One has to ask what is it exactly that irks these ‘revolutionary’ leaders? What are they afraid of? However recent events in Malawi have surpassed even these levels of ignorance and prejudice.

Two employees of Gay and Lesbians of Zimbabwe (GALZ) – Ellen Chademana and Ignatius Mhambi – were arrested by police on the evening of 21 May. Zimbabwe's Central Intelligence Department raided the offices after GALZ posted a letter in their office from former Mayor Willie Lewis Brown of San Francisco, criticising President Mugabe’s resistance to homosexuality. The police confiscated the letter, which they said 'undermines the authority of the president', and took several documents and computers. Chademana and Mhambi were arrested on allegations under Zimbabwe's censorship laws.

**STOP PRESS**
Chademana and Mhambi have been released on bail (Thursday 27 May). The Zimbabwe NGO forum said that Chademana and Mhambi, who were detained for seven days, were 'severely' assaulted by state security agents after their arrests and were threatened with further beatings.